Folding chair



March 3, 1953 M. D. RECHLER FOLDING CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1950 ATTORNEY March 3, 1953 M, RECHLER 2,630,162

FOLDING CHAIR Filed Jan. 11, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I ATTORNEY March 3, 1953 M. D. RECHLER 2,630,162

FOLDING CHAIR Filed Jan. 11, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 .AITORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING CHAIR Morton D. Rechler, New York, N. Y., assignor to Rexart Metal Industries, Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application January 11, 1950, Serial No. 137,937

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to folding chairs, one. of the objects being to provide a light weight comfortable. chair easy to open and close and requiring small space for storing and shipping.

Another object is to produce a chair of this type which will give as near as possible the appearance and comfort, of a chaise. longue, with the added advantage of foldability and grace of lines.

Another object is to provide a framework in which the several parts move automatically in timed relation to open and close the chair by a single folding action.

Another object is to provide simple means enabling the back frame to be adjusted to three different positions, and wherein these adjustments may be made easily while seated in the chair.

A further object is to provide a fabric covering which may be attached to the framework of the chair with a minimum of labor, and which enables easy renewal.

Various other object and features of advantage willbe apparent as thedescription proceeds, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chaise longue folding chair made according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of an arm rest and adjustable linkage.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows the linkage moved to an intermediate position.

Fig. 6 shows the linkage swung to its rearmost position.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the chair illustrating the three positions of, the back frame.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the partly folded framework with the covering fabric removed.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view. of the chair with the covering in place and the framework folded to occupy small space.

Fig. 10 is a detail of a pivot plate and associated frame members.

Fig. 11 is a perspective layout of the fabric chaircovering.

Fig. 12 is a cross-section on the line I2-l2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 13 is a cross-section on the line l3-l3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 14. is a cross-section on the line I l-14 oi- Eigi I.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectionon the line 15-!5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 16 and Fig. 17 are modified forms of fasteners.

Fig. 18 is a cross-section of a round frame and fastening means.

In the drawings the numeral H3 designates a chair embodying the invention and including in its general construction a seat frame H, back frame l2, front leg. frame 1-3, rear leg frame It, foot-rest frame 15, foot-rest support I 6,. armrests ll, back adjusting linkage l8, and. chair covering. fabric [9, there being operating means which act in timed relation to fold the chair into the compacted condition shown in Fig. 9 after the folding has passed through, the intermediate stage shown in Fig. 8.

The frames are made preferably from light weight metal stock such as aluminum, in the present example of square cross-section which may be easily bent, shaped as required, and worked to close tolerances to obtain close fit and compactness of the frame structure. The seat frame Il may be in the form of a pair of side members 2!! having at their forward ends 2| the pivot bolt 22 and short links 23 by means of which pivotal connections are made. to the rearwardly extending ends, 24 of the foot-rest frame 15. The rear ends 25 of the seat frame II are connected by pivot bolts 26 to the swingable pivot plates 2'6 which in turn are attached by pivot bolts 28 to thelower ends 29 of the back frame 12.

The upper ends 39 of the rear leg frame It are connected by pivot bolts 3| to the pivot plates 21, and, in the open position of the chair a web 32 engages the rear leg frame It. below its pivot to hold said frame in its position of use. Cross bolts 33 extending between the sidesof the pivot plates. engage theupper surface of the seat frame at 35 to hold the pivot plates at a predetermined angularity with respect to the seat frame.

The front leg frame i3 is pivoted at 3? to the seat frame I I, the upper ends 36 of the leg frame 13 being above the pivots 31 whereby forward and rearward movement imparted tothe upper ends 36 swings the lower portion 39 of the front leg frame toward or away from the rear leg frame 14 during the closing and opening operations of the chair. Spacing Washers as at 38 may be used between the frames.

Means of connection such. as radius rods 40: have pivotal attachement at M to the rear leg frame: 14 below pivots: 31,. and also have similar pivotal connections; at, 42 immediately" belowor.

adjacent to the upper ends 36 of the front leg frame l3. Connecting rods 43 are pivoted at M below pivots 3'! and extend forward and slightly upward to pivotal connections 45 with foot-rest frame [5, which latter is connected by plates 46 and bolts 41 to the upper ends 48 of the support l6.

Secondary rods 49 are pivotally connected at one end 50 to the support l6 below the pivot bolts 41, and at their other ends to pivots 51 mounted in plates 52 secured to connecting rods 43.

The rear portions 53 of the arm-rests I! are pivoted to the rising side rails 54 of the back frame l2 by suitable means such as screws 9. The forward ends 55 of the arm-rests carry on their under faces 56 brackets 57 secured as by screws 3 (Figs. 2 and 3). 1 The brackets 51 preferably comprise U-shaped pieces including the side walls 58 and the mounting base 58, through which the screws 8 pass into the arm-rests ll. Each bracket is provided with a pair of parallel link plates 5% drilled at one end 6i for passage of pivot bolts 82 which extend through bayonet slots 53 in the opposite side walls 53 of the brackets. In the present case each of the link plates iii-l has a projection 65 which may be brought into engagement with an abutment formed by a cross bolt 65 fastened between the walls 5% of the bracket. There is a wide spacing washer 65 between the plates 60. A bolt 6'! pivotally connects the opposite end 63 of the plates W to the upper ends 3% of the leg frame it. Notches 6 engage upper ends 5 of rods ac.

Figs. 1 and 3 show the position of the armrests i1 and link plates 69 when the back frame it is in sitting position. The occupant of the chair can move the arm-rests rearward to swing the back frame to the intermediate position shown in Fig. 4. This brings the projection 5 3 into engagement against the abutment bolt b5 stop- A ping further rearward turning of the link plates about the axis of bolt 6? at the top of the front leg frame 13. Should the occupant desire to move the back frame to the full reclining position he will lift the arm-rests slightly forward and upward as shown by dot-dash lines and arrow as in Fig. 5. This allows pivot bolt 82 to shift out of the offset upper notch iii and to ride down into the lower notch ll of the bayonet slot E3 so that the projection 64 can clear the abutment 65 when the link plates and their associated armrests are moved toward the back of the chair. As shown in Fig. 6 this movement is arrested when the edges l2 of the link plates come into engagement with the abutment 65. To return to sitting position the occupant leans forward and the back automatically returns with him as the linkage rotates to the front due to the forward shifting of the occupants weight from the back to the seat portion of the covering It. The three adjustments of the back are shown in Fig. 7, wherein the reference letters A, B, and C indicate the sitting, intermediate, and full reclining positions respectively, and it will be noted in Fig. 4 that sufficient clearances are provided to insure easy operation of the movable parts of the linkages without binding.

The seat covering i9 may be constructed as shown in Fig. 11 wherein a length of duck or other fabric 75 is provided at its opposite ends a6 and ll with snap fastener elements 18 adapted to engage openings l9 in the cross bar 8!? forming the top of the back frame I? and similaropen ings Si in the foot-bar 82 of the foot-rest i5. Enough materialis allowedby margins ,83 and 84 '83 from backing loose on the cross bar til.

'4 to wrap around the bars 30 and 82 so that a good grip is obtained to hold the fabric in place.

The covering ma include a head cushion 85, back cushion 36, seat cushion 81, and foot-rest cushion 38. The back portion Be is provided with a back strap 3b which fits tightly over the side rails 54 of the back frame i2. Lines of stitches I are suitable for securing the back strap to the fabric and to the cushion 8% as in Fig. 12. The fabric at 9i supporting the seat cushion 8'! has a cross strap t2 comprising two tabs 93 and 94. Each may have a line of grommets 95 adapted to be brought together beneath the seat frame ii as indicated in Fig. 13 and fastened by hooks 96 passed through the grommets. The foot-rest cushion $8 is similarly held in place by tabs 9! and 98 brought around the bar t2 and held by hooks 95 through marginal grommets use. The covering is placed on the chair frame by slipping the back strap tit downward over the rails 54 of the back frame it leaving enough slack as indicated by the dot-dash lin s in Fig. 14 to allow the marginal material 33 to be worked around the cross bar and the snap elements it to be snapped into the openings it. The back strap 99 is next pushed downward on the rails to tighten the material 83 around the bar 8G and it is this tight frictional grip of the back strap against the back frame that prevents the wound margin The other margin he may be similarly attached by providing a line of fasteners $8 on the end 71, winding around bar 82, and snapping the fasteners into the openings 85. This is followed by hooking together the tabs beneath the seat and foot-rest frames.

Fig. 16 is a modified fastener comprising a stud it! riveted through the fabric Hi2 and is designed to be inserted into such openings as H or 3|. A further substitute is shown in Fig. 1'? wherein a stud W3 projects through a grommet Hit in the fabric itfi. Any of these fasteners may be used with the square bar of Fig. 14 or the round bar of Fig. 18.

The chair is folded by the simple operation of moving the seat frame upward toward the back frame, a convenient bar itfi being provided adjacent the front end of the seat frame accessible through an opening it? in the fabric for one of the hands of the operator While the other hand grasps the back frame. During this motion the front leg frame it moves about its pivots 37 and folds rearward toward the back frame as seen in Fig. 8, while the rear leg frame it moves forward and upward passing through the loop of the front leg frame by operation of the radius rods iii. The pivot plates 2i move about their pivots 23 to the back frame, and in timed relation the connecting rodsdt swing the foot-rest frame I5 toward the seat frame. The secondary rods 49 swing the foot-rest support 6 against the bottom of the foot-rest frame as it moves toward the seat frame, and. finally all of theframes reach the compacted relationshown in Fig- 9. The reverse of this operation opens the chair for use. In Fig. 8 the fabric covering has been removed to give a clear picture of the operation of the framework. This covering is preferably of the sling type as shown in the drawings and acts through shifting'body weight to return the chair to sitting position from either of the two positions of inclination shown in Figs. 5 and-5 It is further to be noted that when the linkages have moved with the back frame to sitting position (Fig. 3) the pivot bolts 52 have swung past and to a point below the dead center position indicated by dot-dash line 2, and the linkages thus form overlooks to hold the back frame in sitting Position.

When the linkages have been rotated rearwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 6, the pivot bolts 02 have not passed the dead center line 2 and will remain above that line with the edge 72 in engagement with abutment 65 until the occupant shifts position as explained to throw the linkages forward. This forward rotation of the linkages about the axis bolts 5'! is arrested when the notches 0 engage the upper ends of the rods 40 which act as stops to clear the armrest from the underlying framework while at the same time allowing the pivot bolts 62 to reach their overlooking positions below line 2.

The chair portion of this new folding chaise longue is of the general kind shown in my Patent No. 2,467,909, issued April 19, 1949, the folding parts of that chair being well adapted for use as elements in the new organization. The interconnected chair frames and foot-rest mechanism are so interrelated by their pivotal connections and operating rods that they fold and unfold timed relation by simple manipulation of the seat and back frames. Various modifications may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A folding chair comprising in combination a seat frame, a front leg frame pivoted between its upper and lower ends to the sides of the seat frame, a rear leg frame, a back frame, pivotal means of connection between the seat frame, the rear leg frame and the back frame, a radius rod pivoted to the rear leg frame and extending forward to pivotal connection with the front leg frame above its pivot to the seat frame, a footrest frame pivoted to the forward ends of the seat frame, a connecting rod pivoted at one end to the front leg frame below its pivot to the seat frame and having pivotal connection at its other end to the foot-rest frame, a foot-rest support pivoted to the foot-rest frame, a secondary rod pivotally secured at one end to the foot-rest support and at its other end between the pivots of the connecting rod, and arm-rests pivoted at their rear ends to the back frame and having pivotal means of connection at their forward ends to the upper ends of the front leg frame, the folding parts of the chair moving automatically to closed and opened positions by swinging the seat frame toward and away from the back frame.

2. A folding chair comprising in combination a seat frame, a front leg frame pivoted between its upper and lower ends to the sides of the seat frame, a rear leg frame, a back frame, pivotal means of connection between the seat frame, the

rear leg frame and the back frame, a radius rod pivoted to the rear leg frame and extending forward to pivotal connection with the front leg above its pivot to the seat frame, a footrest frame pivoted to the forward ends of the seat frame, a connecting rod pivoted at one end to the front leg frame below its pivot to the seat frame and having pivotal connection at its other end to the foot-rest frame, a foot-rest support pivoted to the foot-rest frame, a secondary rod pivotally secured at one end to the foot-rest support and at its other end between the pivots of the connecting rod, arm-rests pivoted to the back frame, and adjustable linkages connecting the front ends of the arm-rests to the upper ends of the front leg frame enabling the back frame to be adjusted to different positions of inclination, the folding parts of the chair moving automatically to closed and opened positions by swinging the seat frame toward and away from the back frame.

3. A folding chair according to claim 2, in comhination with a sling type chair covering extending from the upper part of the back frame to the front end of the foot-rest frame.

4. A folding chair including a seat frame, a front leg frame pivoted between its upper and lower ends to the seat frame, a foot-rest frame pivoted to the forward end of the seat frame, a connecting rod pivoted at one end to the front leg frame below its pivots to the seat frame and having pivotal connection at its other end to the foot rest frame, a folding support pivoted to the footrest frame, a secondary rod pivotally secured at one end to the folding support and at its other end between the pivots of the connecting rod, the footrest frame being adapted to fold about its pivot automatically to closed position beneath the seat frame when the front leg frame is moved rearwardly about its pivot.

MORTON D. RECI-ILER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 240,991 Fuller May 3, 1881 326,368 Wilson Sept. 15, 1885 971,704 Swindler Oct. 4, 1910 1,097,903 Barnum May 26, 1914 1,288,670 Pfanschmidt Dec. 24, 1918 1,751,599 Prassas Mar. 25, 1930 2,281,341 Turner Apr. 28, 1942 2,467,909 Rechler Apr. 19, 1949 2,474,597 Shwarzowsky June 28, 1949 

